The Real Price of Couture
High Street or Bespoke? How much does a Couture Wedding Dress Really Cost?
A couture gown has a certain status. An impression of grandeur. An unattainable height.
It’s always been a sign of wealth and abundance, having custom made, form fitting clothing designed, made and fit perfectly for you, and wedding dresses are no exception. But in this day and age of budgets, cost saving and a high cost of living, such luxuries appear out of reach, extravagant, and unattainable to most. But is this really the case? What does a couture gown really cost?
Most brides planning their weddings have their dream list of what they’d have if money was no object, but what if I told you that what you thought was out of reach, really wasn’t?
We’re bombarded with images of the most stunning wedding gowns, embellished to perfection, shimmering on the catwalks emblazoned with a designer label. Out of your budget? Perhaps. Not everyone can afford a £10k wedding dress, but what about a custom designed, form fitted, stunningly embellished and entirely hand made gown for the same cost as a high end bridal boutique gown? Don’t believe me? Maybe you should.
A lot of brides visit countless bridal boutiques when looking for their dream wedding gown, trying on dress after dress, until they find ‘the one’. The reality is that ‘The one’ usually comes with a heap of alterations required, and no extras included, all of which have a large, and often unexpected impact on the cost of their ‘dream dress’.
The dress that fit your budget at £1600, has now ended up costing over £2k with alterations and veil, and is, well, to be blunt, completely off the peg, not unique to you and likely to have been purchased by 20 other brides that day across the country. Is it still your dream dress?
So, what about a couture, custom made wedding gown, made to your specifications, to fit you perfectly, that is truly a one-off, unique dress, and completely hand made? Out of budget? You’d probably say yes, but you’d be wrong. Bespoke wedding gowns are a totally different league to the dresses a high street bridal boutique can offer, but it needn’t cost as much as you think.
Catherine Blades is a couture dress designer with over 20 years experience in the wedding industry. She’s seen her fair share of brides wanting alterations on their cheap bridal gowns, purchased online in a hurry, which ultimately don’t fit and are of questionable quality. She’s also seen some gorgeous brides in high street boutique gowns which have looked beautiful on their wedding day. But, and it’s a big one, she believes that every bride should have the dress of their dreams, and she can show you how.
How does a couture gown come to life? In Catherine’s beautiful Blades Bridal studio on the Berkshire/Hamsphire border, she meets with brides every week, wanting to create the dress of their dreams. Catherine’s knowledge of cut and fit set her apart from other designers, and this is what makes a bridal gown designed and made by her truly special.
Yes, it may seem that a couture gown carries a large price tag, but the difference in buying bespoke instead of high street, is where your money is actually going. So what are you paying for when you go bespoke?
You’re paying for knowledge, experience and a personal touch. A highly skilled designer and dressmaker who can take one look at a bride and instantly know what will flatter her figure, fit beautifully and make her feel like a million dollars on her wedding day.
You’re paying for years of experience in pattern cutting, a personal toile fitting to ensure that your dress fits your body like a glove so no alterations are needed.
You’re paying for hours of hand sewing, individually placed embellishments, hand stitching and beading, and hand finishing which ensures the most perfect finish to your gown.
You’re paying for a personal service, in a beautiful setting, and private one to one appointments that put you in a safe and comfortable space, allowing you to enjoy every step of the process.
You’re paying for a truly unique garment, which comes from your imagination, and is worked up using Catherine’s incredible design and dressmaking skills, resulting in a stunning one of a kind dress.
Still not sold?
You can have all of this from only £1900. Yes, you heard that correctly.
Don’t get me wrong, a £10k dress is a £10k dress for a reason, any bridal gown encrusted with expensive embellishment and made in the most exquisite fabrics available isn’t going to get anywhere near the £2k mark, but you can have so much more than the high street boutique gown for your money, and it really is worth every penny.
So if you want to go bespoke, give Catherine a call, book a consultation appointment and see what you can really get for your money, you won’t regret it.